The main antagonist of the Impel Down Arc, Magellan is the warden of the infamous Impel Down, a maximum security prison for only the most dangerous of pirates. Organized into multiple levels that go deeper and deeper beneath the waves, Luffy clashes with Magellan in the 4th level of the mega-prison, lovingly known as Burning Hell. After trapping the Straw Hat Pirates, Magellan aims to use the fight to force Luffy to tell him how they even were able to reach the supposedly hidden location of the prison.

A gargantuan beast of a man, Magellan is no slouch in combat. Beyond the intimidation factor, Magellan’s frightening appearance isn’t just for show; his horns become detachable knuckledusters to help him deliver the poison of his Devil Fruit, the Venom-Venom fruit. This fight is significant for being a total defeat for Luffy, leaving the idealistic pirate near death.

9. Luffy vs. Enel

A self-proclaimed God, Enel is the tyrannical ruler of Skypia, an incredible floating island. After destroying his own homeland with the awesome power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Enel turned to the isle, taking ownership of its winged inhabitants. Fueled by his godly ego, Enel’s lightning powers made him nigh untouchable by others.

Luckily for Luffy, his rubber body was the perfect counter to Enel’s lightning, being one of the few beings who could go toe-to-toe with him. Yet even with this advantage, Enel was still able to handily defeat Luffy in their first encounter. The spectacle and intricate power interactions of Luffy’s fights with Enel will be a treat to see in live action, and Enel’s strange outfit is just icing on the cake.

8. Luffy vs. Usopp

One of the few One Piece characters already introduced that Luffy has yet to fight, Usopp is a valued friend of Luffy’s and designated sniper for the Straw Hat pirates. Not only are the two close comrades, but Luffy is a clear mismatch for Usopp in terms of strength at any point in the series. Despite this, the fight between Luffy and Usopp is a satisfying moment that will be made all the better in live-action thanks to the on-screen chemistry of Iñaki Godoy and Jacob Gibson.

When the Straw Hat’s ship, the Going Merry, is damaged beyond repair, Luffy makes the difficult decision to retire the vessel and look for a new craft. Usopp is outraged at this prospect, thanks to the emotional significance the ship has to him, and challenges Luffy to a duel for ownership. Despite Luffy’s obvious and effortless victory, this fight scene is a great moment that illustrates Luffy’s ability to make hard decisions and, despite his sunny disposition, lay down the law as captain.

7. Luffy vs. Katakuri

Of the three “Sweet Commanders” of the Big Mom pirates, Charlotte Katakuri is the most fearsome. A legendary fighter, the reputation for Katakuri’s strength proceeded him, having said to have never lost a fight going into his first bout with Luffy. Going into their brutal brawl at Mirro World, it seemed that this record wasn’t about to be broken anytime soon.

Katakuri’s Devil Fruit of choice, the Mochi-Mochi Fruit, might sound unimpressive on paper, giving the user the ability to turn their body into mochi. Yet Katakuri utilized this power to its full potential, nearly beating Luffy at his own game with a similar fighting style. It was only when Luffy spontaneously gained the ability to predict the future in the middle of the day-long fight that he was able to finally use Gear Fourth: Snakeman to overcome Katakuri.

6. Luffy and Crew vs. The Pacifista

Not a singular villain, Pacifistas are recurring enemies faced much later on in One Piece than the scope of the Netflix series. Cybernetic clones of a past warlord, Bartholomew Kuma, they were utilized by Dr. Vegapunk of the Marines. Despite their status as autonomous weapons, the Pacifistas are an incredibly deadly foe.

Upon landing on the Sabaody Archipelago, the Straw Hat pirates encounter a Pacifista for the first time. When engaging the Pacifista, Luffy wasn’t able to defeat the cybernetic soldier himself, having trouble with its supernaturally durable metal body and powerful mouth beams. It took the combined effort of a larger Straw Hat crew and Luffy going nearly all-out just to defeat a single one of the mass-manufactured Marine warriors.

5. Luffy vs. Sentomaru

Luffy’s struggles didn’t end on the Sabaody Archipelago with the Pacifista unit. Soon, Luffy finds himself in a brawl with Dr. Vegapunk’s personal bodyguard, Sentomaru. Despite his comical appearance, Sentomaru was a true roadblock for Luffy, making the rubber pirate work incredibly hard for victory.

Other than being a mountain of a man with unbridled strength, Sentomaru wields a massive executioner’s ax. His most powerful aspect, however, is his Haki, a mystical spiritual energy capable of being harnessed by certain characters in the world of One Piece. Sentomaru’s defensive use of the ability made him nearly invulnerable, making Luffy consider running away from a fight for the first time in the series.

4. Luffy vs. Crocodile

One of Luffy’s most dangerous and frequently-encountered opponents, Sir Crocodile is likely to appear in One Piece season 2, being the primary antagonist of the Alabasta arc. Crocodile’s design will be great to see translated to live-action, his cigar-chomping mouth and massive golden hook hand being series staples. His mastery over sand with the aptly-named Sand-Sand fruit makes him a versatile and dangerous opponent, able to dehydrate his victims with just a touch.

Crocodile is significant for being among Luffy’s most difficult fights. In fact, he’s able to defeat Luffy twice, and would’ve killed him without the intervention of Nico Robin. Assuming the VFX on Crocodile’s sand abilities will be done justice by the show, his addition to the cast should give the series one of its most intense battles.

3. Luffy vs. Doflamingo

Appearing much further along than the story One Piece season 2 will likely cover, Donquixote Doflamingo is the flamboyant antagonist of the Dressrosa arc. Known as the Heavenly Demon, Doflamingo is one of the most feared and influential baddies of the seas. Doflamingo hails from a World Noble family, perhaps explaining his prideful and cocky attitude.

When he finally crosses paths with Luffy, he maintains the upper hand in their fight for the first few rounds. Beyond his base physical strength far surpassing any peak human in the real world, Doflamingo also controls razor-sharp wires with the String-String Devil Fruit, and is one of the few beings in the universe who can use all three types of Haki. Despite being relatively evenly matched, Luffy is able to take down Doflamingo by entering Gear Fourth, a climactic finish to the satisfying battle.

2. Luffy vs. Lucci

Feared even among the marines, Rob Lucci is a cold-blooded killer and special agent of Cipher Pol, a shadowy subterfuge branch of the World Government. By the age of 13, Lucci was said to have already slain over 500 men. Lucci encounters Luffy multiple times over the course of the original manga, fostering something of a rivalry.

The most satisfying element of Lucci and Luffy’s multiple encounters are their parallel growth. Though he’s said to be 400 times stronger than the average foot soldier at the time of his introduction, by their second encounter, Lucci had gained new tricks. His Cat-Cat Devil Fruit gave him access to a powerful hybrid Leopard form, only becoming stronger with an Awakening alongside Luffy’s own. Both of Lucci’s fights with Luffy were pulse-pounding brawls that the Straw Hat captain was barely able to overcome.

1. Luffy vs. Kaido

Governor-general of the Beast Pirates, Kaido is in another league of deadly within Luffy’s rogues gallery. A minotaur-like beastman, Kaido is renowned as “The World’s Strongest Creature,” and his track record in battle proved he earned this nickname. Over the course of the series, Kaido defeats Luffy not one, not two, but three separate times, an unprecedented victory streak against Luffy or almost any Shounen protagonist.

A major antagonist throughout multiple arcs of the series, the physical power Kaido can put behind his Kanabo club is unfathomable, having once single-handedly sank 9 ships at once. On top of that, his Devil Fruit, the Fish-Fish Fruit, allows him to assume the form of a massive blue dragon. It was only with the aid of Gear Five that Luffy was finally able to defeat him, and even then, it wasn’t a guaranteed victory. Though seeing Kaido on a Netflix que is currently a dream of a distant future, One Piecefans eagerly await the day they can see Kaido represented in live-action.